Grain-guiding attachment for harvesters



Oct. 22, 1929. D. HOFER I GRAIN GUIDING ATTACHMENT FOR HARVESTERS FiledNov. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Oct. 22, 1929. D. HOFER 1,733,061

GRAIN GUIDING ATTACHMENT FOR HARVESTERS Filed Nov. 1927 2 Sheets-Shem 217 um flan:

Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES DAVID HOFER, F RALEY, ALBERTA,CANADA.

GRAIN-GUIDING ATTACHMENT FOR HARVESTERS A Application filed November 4,1927. Serial No. 231,129.

grain adjacent the shearing knives, and the consequence is that theheads are either completely cut off or partially cutoff, resulting inthe loss of a great deal of grain. Besides this, the grain which escapestreatment in this manner is thrown on the binder platform after cuttingin a very irregular manner, so that in travelling to be bound the headsof the grain are entangled and caught in the midst of the sheaf, where,due to con ditions, growth commences.

In addition to this, the heads or a portion ofone sheaf invariably areentangled in adjacent sheaves being formed, which not only causes, afurther loss, but involves a great deal of time and trouble inseparation.

The main object of my invention is to eliminate loss of grain in thismanner by raising the heads of grain up from the knives.

A further object of my invention is to regulate the grain being cut insuch a manner that it willfall uniformly onto the receiving platform,and avoid entanglement, etc.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an attachment ofthis character for binders which may be attached to any type of machinewith very littletrouble, and which fully described in the accompanyingspecification and drawings which form part of the same.

' In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a -to be attached thereto.

binder illustrating the platform and showing the improved guide membersmounted in connection therewith.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of a binder illustrating thelever connection of the guide members and the main operating lever.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the complete guide member attachment.

Fig. 5 is a modified form of the mounting of the guide members. Y

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the guide rod casing.

. Referring now to the drawings, A designates the conventional binder,and B designates the guide members as a whole adapted Theseguide'members comprise essentially a rod 10 adapted to extend under thebinder platform for attachment thereto and extending forwardly of thecutter bar and finger bar to form a guide member 11 which may berearwardly and upwardly bent or formed to provide directing arms 12adapted to contact with the bent over grain and to raise the same toupright position. This directing arm may be formed integral with the baror made in a separate piece to be welded thereto as desired, while it ispreferable that the forward point there of be slightly upwardly curvedin order to provide for even movement over rough ground and the like.

In addition, in order to secure this guide member to the platform of thebinder, I pro- 'vide bracket members 13 and 14 adapted to be secured bybolts or the like to front and rear of the platform respectively, suchtypes of machines. It will be understood,

. however, that any convenient form of bracket member may be employedand any convenient form of collar or means for securing the membersagainst end movement may be used.

In order to efficiently direct grain which has been blown or beatendownwardly in different directions, I provide adjusting means for theguide members so that they may be swung or turned on their axis to movethe forward directing arms to the right or to the left, thereby raisingthe grain to vertical position. This means comprises a plurality ofsmall lever members 18' rigidly attached to the rear end of the guidemembers and retained thereon in any convenient manner, for instance bycotter pins or a nut and bolt connection. The lever for each guidemember may be formed integral therewith, but for thepurpose offacilitating attachment I prefer'to make these separate. These leversare in turn pivoted to a main operating link 19 in turn in pivotalconnection with the main operating lever 20 through the link member 21.The main operating lever 20 is constructed according to the usual. typeand operates on the rack 22 in convenient reach of the drivers seat.This lever rack may be supported conveniently on an auxiliary leverframe consisting of members 23 and 24, so situated as to conform withthe bolt connection of the conventional binder, and thereby facilitateattachment thereto. Abrace rod 25 may be employed in order to stabilizethis structure.

It will thus be seen that on operation of the lever 20 to the right orto the left, a sliding movement of the link member 19 will take placewith a consequent movement of the guide members in the direction thelink is moving. In order to guard the portion of the guide rod extendingunder the binder platform, a casing may be used consisting of a channelmember 26 formed at the ends with an extended portion 27 adapted toengage the frame work of the binder platform to retain the casingthereon, and form a bracket for the guide member. This forms a completecasing around the rod members and provides against, damage or bending ofthe rod members by stones or the like during the course of travel of thebinder.

In operation it will be seen that the binder may travel through thefield and grain bent downwardly will, before, reaching the cutter knivesandfinger bar, be brought into engagement with the guide member 11,which will immediately start to raise the bent-over grain upwardlythrough the directing arms 12 and by moving the lever 20 the directingarms 12 may be, as stated, moved to the right or to the left, so thatthe grain is not only raised but it is directed into its natural course.The grain is then cut by the knives and falls onto the platform inuniform manner, as directed by the guide member and directing arms. Frompast experience in cutting, I have found that the heavy' heads of thegrain when falling upon the platform of the harvester especially inheaders and combined harvesters involving long platforms, tends to movewith the conveyor belt at a greater speed than the ends of the grain,sothat in travelling up the conveyor the grain is in sloped relation; Withmy improved guide member this disadvantage isobviated, due to the factthat through the movement of the directing arms12 in one direction oranother the grain may be caused to fall on the binder platform inslopedrelation in such manner as to compensate for this-action, so thatduring travel on the conveyor, as previously described, the grain willarrive at the binding platform in substantially par-E. allelrelationship with the binding mechanism, which is greatly to be desiredin forming sheaves.

An important feature of my structure will be apparent in the positioningof the guide. members. This will present a decided ad vantage in workingwith a machine of this character, in addition to the function they arespecifically adapted for. 'The machine may be used in parallel relationwith the ground without adjustment in. an inclined plane, as heretofore.This has always resulted in a great deal of trouble, since the fingersof the finger bar invariably dig into the ground and hamper the work.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have devised'acomplete and simple means of regulating and guiding the grain duringharvesting to avoidthe disadvantages pointed out. and that such deviceis of simple nature which can be adapted on the various types ofmachines now in use with very,lit tle trouble.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and manyapparently widely different embodiments of my invention within the scopeof the claims constructed without departing from the spirit or scopethereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the presentspecification and accompanying drawings shall be interpreted in anillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A grain guide attachment forharvesters comprising in combination a plurality of grain guide membersconsisting of .a plurality of straight rods adapted to beattachedadapted to be turned about their own axes,

means on the guide members for preventing axial movement. thereof,channelmembers secured to the base of the platform for encasing andsecuring the guide members thereunder and lever control means connectedto the inner ends of said guide members operatively co-active therewithfor simultaneously turning and controlling the movement of the guidemembers in either direction as desired, independently of the movement ofthe barvester.

2. A grain guide attachment for harvesters comprising in combination aplurality of grain guide members consisting of a plurality of straightrods adapted to be attached to the underside of the platform of themachine, extending outwardly on each side thereof, and formed withintegral upwardly and rearwardly extending grain directing arms at theforward ends thereof said rods adapted to be turned about their ownaxes, means on the guide members for preventing axial movement thereof,channel members secured to the base of the platform for encasing andsecuring the guide members thereunder, a plurality of verticallyextending levers rigidly secured to the rear ends of said guide members,a link member pivotally connected to said levers, and a main operatinglever in pivotal connection with the link for oscillating the guidemembers collectively as desired in either direction independently of themovement of the harvester.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

DAVID HOFER.

